What's it all about?

An unashamedly positive celebration of small actions. Things we are all able to do, sometimes with little effort, that can make a big difference to the world around us. Things that will hopefully inspire the rest of us to just get stuck in and see what happens.
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Run in conjunction with ITV (the UK's biggest commercial TV station), Born to Shine created a new fund raising stream for Save The Children over the summer.

Building on their No Child Born To Die campaign, it turned what could have been just another exercise in generic charity heart-string tugging, into something more involving and action orientated.

Using a clever spin on a fairly conventional reality TV theme - talented kids teach celebs new skills - the show helped raise £2.1m for the charity. Which, though it may pale in comparison to the £26m of Children in Need, is not a sum to be sniffed at.

Have been finding out more about the One brand this week. With its challenge that we can all 'do One good thing', its vision is a perfect expression of what this blog is all about: that small things can make big differences.

With One, their model is very simple: buy a One branded product and 100% of profits go to support a related Third World development project.

It's a really clever model for engaging people in social issues that might otherwise disinterest them, focusing on behaviour change rather than attitude change...given that latter are actually pretty hard to change, with beliefs more often than not following behaviour.

The one (ho ho) challenge? Ensuring their brand and products have appeal beyond those already engaged with the issues they are supporting. Without this the model doesn't really work, at least in terms of maximising donations and bringing the disinterested into the fold. Only time will tell on this.

In the meantime, if you think One sounds like a good idea and want to offer your support, you can like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Common Treads is a new initiative from Patagonia that looks to reduce the environmental footprint of both its business and its customers.

It's based on 5 pledges to reduce, repair, reuse, recycle and reimagine...

1. REDUCEWe make useful gear that lasts a long time; you don't buy what you don't need.

"We design and sell things made to last and to be useful. But we ask our customers not to buy from us what you don’t need or can’t really use. Everything we make – everything anyone makes – costs the planet more life than it gives back. The biggest, first step we can all take to reduce our impact is to do more with what we have. Much of the energy consumed over the course of the life of a garment – about half – goes into laundering, ironing and drying, activities that shorten the life of your clothes as much as wearing them does."

"What we have should be things we can repair. If you have the skills to turn a frayed collar or darn the worn heel of a sock, good for you. For our part, we should make clothes that wear out as evenly as possible and repair quickly what you send back to us to be fixed. Our policy is to get repairs unpacked, done and back in the mail to you within 10 business days. We pay for repairs that we’re responsible for and charge a fair price for repairs due to normal wear and tear. In addition, many of our stores have relationships with local tailors capable of working on our clothes."

3. REUSEWe help find a home for Patagonia gear you no longer need; you sell or pass it on to someone who needs it.

"Nothing wearable should be hoarded; useful things should be in circulation. Reuse what you no longer need, whether you’ve given up climbing or no longer wear brown. Donate unused clothes to a charity or sell them through the Patagonia Common Threads Initiative site on eBay or on our website, (where you can also buy used rather than new, eBay handles the purchase). We donate our own factory seconds to activists working in the field and send some of last season’s unsold goods to people who lose their belongings in disasters."

4. RECYCLEWe will take back your Patagonia gear that is worn out; you pledge to keep your stuff out of landfills.

"Everything natural or manufactured comes to the end of its life. Everything natural gives life to something new, so should the things we make. Whatever you’ve bought from Patagonia that’s finally worn-out, you can return to us, so that we can recycle it into new fiber or fabric (or repurpose what can’t yet be recycled). Since 2005, we’ve taken back 45 tons of clothing for recycling and made 34 tons into new clothes – thanks to our customers who have become partners."

5. REIMAGINETogether we will reimagine a world where we take only what the planet can replace.

"Two-thirds of our economy is based on the purchase of consumer goods. But to blindly purchase what’s good neither for the planet nor ourselves to keep the game going is the very definition of unsustainability. Let’s buy what’s healthy and useful; let’s stay away from what we don’t need and what causes unnecessary harm. Every action we take together to protect the land and waters we love adds to our knowledge and confidence that we can reimagine, then help bring about, a sustainable world for those who come after us."

In part, a justification of a hefty price tag (quality lasts); in part, good marketing (reaching out to like minded people). But a vision for future sustainability more business should have in place.

I was sent this short film the other day. I'll let the blurb that goes with it do the explaining...

"HOW TO MAKE A FOREST FROM A PATCH OF GRASS: My daughter created a tiny nature reserve in our garden to save the wildlife in the grass from the lawn mower. We stopped to talk about it, and then spent the afternoon looking for wildlife in the grass. What she found really amazed me: so many little creatures in a tiny patch of grass. Wildlife often seems remote and disconnected from our day-to-day lives, and our impact on the environment as individuals seems minimal. But my daughter's idea - that an individual can save a tiny patch of the earth suddenly changed the way I think, and inspired me to do something. So as well as changing a few things in my life, and giving money to charity, I'm sending out this thought in the hope that others may be inspired to appreciate the diversity of life on earth (even the slugs and snails) and take positive action to protect it. I hope this inspires you too. As environmentalist David Orr wrote: "When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves." Maybe together we can save an entire forest...from just a tiny patch of grass?"

Missed this when it happened, but a really sweet idea. Sheena Matheikenwore the same little black dress for a year, accessorised with vintage, handmade, reused, or donated pieces to ensure a different look each day. In doing this she raised over $100k, enough to put nearly 300 kids from Indian slums in school.

Something to share?

When it comes it small things that make a big difference, I want your help. If you spot anything that fits the bill; or if you're on the receiving end of some small things that have made a big difference to you; or if you're actually doing stuff yourself (don't be shy!)...I want to hear about it. Drop me a line here. Build on a post. Send me links and photos. Whatever might inspire the rest of us to do something ourselves. And I will blog about it.